i need some help with a family situation. i have a sister-in-law who insist that the bible says the races can not mix in marriage. says it’s in leviticus. would anyone know what she’s talking about exactly. i know that races can mix because the catholic church dosen’t teach against it. i need everyone to put there head together and either give me some bible quotes that might say it’s o.k. or a book they can recommend. anything at all. thanks

This from the catechism might not be exactly what your looking for but it may help.

** 1931 **Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that "everyone should look upon his neighbor (without any exception) as ‘another self,’ above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for living it with dignity."37 No legislation could by itself do away with the fears, prejudices, and attitudes of pride and selfishness which obstruct the establishment of truly fraternal societies. Such behavior will cease only through the charity that finds in every man a “neighbor,” a brother.

**1934 **Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity.

[quote=dal11]i need some help with a family situation. i have a sister-in-law who insist that the bible says the races can not mix in marriage. says it’s in leviticus. would anyone know what she’s talking about exactly. i know that races can mix because the catholic church dosen’t teach against it. i need everyone to put there head together and either give me some bible quotes that might say it’s o.k. or a book they can recommend. anything at all. thanks
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Absolutely NO mixing of the races, the idea is absurd, how could you even consider mixing a human with any other race, it’s unconscionable. There is only one race mankind is intended to breed with it mankind. NEVER breed with any other race of animals!!! Of course there was that cute sheep… well never mind… Point is our “race” is mankind

i need some help with a family situation. i have a sister-in-law who insist that the bible says the races can not mix in marriage

[quote=dal11]i need some help with a family situation. i have a sister-in-law who insist that the bible says the races can not mix in marriage. says it’s in leviticus. would anyone know what she’s talking about exactly. i know that races can mix because the catholic church dosen’t teach against it. i need everyone to put there head together and either give me some bible quotes that might say it’s o.k. or a book they can recommend. anything at all. thanks
[/quote]

She is probably thinking of Deuteronomy 7:3, which is a prohibition against intermarriage with non-Hebrews given to the Jewish people. It does not apply to interracial marriage, but is firmly lodged in the context of inter-religious marriage.

There is not a single passage of Scripture that forbids interracial marriage.

[quote=mlchance]She is probably thinking of Deuteronomy 7:3, which is a prohibition against intermarriage with non-Hebrews given to the Jewish people. It does not apply to interracial marriage, but is firmly lodged in the context of inter-religious marriage.

There is not a single passage of Scripture that forbids interracial marriage.

– Mark L. Chance.
[/quote]

Well said

Also, it is a basic generalization of genetics (stress “basic generalization;” your mileage may vary) that the farther your partner is from you in terms of blood relationship, the better chance your children have of being healthy.

I was exposed to a lot of inter-racial marriages when I was in the Air Force, and one thing that really stuck out for me was that the children of those marriages were usually better looking than either of the parents. I asked my socialogy prof about that and he said there was a perfectly good scientific explanation: hybrid vigor.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were so many interracial marriages that society finally gave up separating us into different categories? Wishful thinking; I suspect society would either make its categories more complicated or find another way to discriminate.

your sister no doubt obeys all the other proscriptions in Leviticus, maintains a kosher kitchen, does no work on the sabbath and allows no one in her household to work, does not wear poly-wool or cotton-spandex blend clothing, maintains ritual family purity, isolates herself from her family during her period and all the other laws. That would make her an Orthodox Jew, upon whom these laws are binding since they maintain their obedience to God’s law given to them. That would also make her obedient to the long traditions of the rabbis and their commentaries on these laws, to which Jews also adhere.

“I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be?”

After a brief moment, he continued: “While thinking about that, can I ask another? My chief of staff, Leo McGarry, insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it OK to call the police?”
…

“Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side?

“Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?

—President Bartlet, The West Wing

His point, and mine too, is simply this, we are bound to obey God in what He has revealed to us. He sent His Son to fulfill the law and create a new covenant; we are not bound by these strictures.

I have seen Orthodox Jews who have mixed race marriages, so I don’t think that they view it as a problem either. In Israel there are many black, Ethiopian Jews and they do marry white Jews. I think to compare interbreeding of animals with mixing of races is sick. We are all the same breed–human.